REAL MADRID – BAYERN MUNICH 2-1 (4-3 AGM):
– There are completely unimaginable scenes at the Santiago Bernabeu, exclaimed TV 2’s commentator Øyvind Alsaker when Joselu’s 2-1 goal was approved after a VAR check.
The 34-year-old was replaced at 0-1 to Bayern Munich, when it looked like the German giants would make it to the final.
But it didn’t turn out that way. Real Madrid have a reputation for never giving up, and neither did they on Wednesday night.
In the 88th minute Joselu put in 1-1 after Manuel Neuer gave an ugly rebound. Two minutes into overtime he scored again.
However, the assistant referee was quickly up with the flag and waved for offside. The score had to be checked by VAR, and after a short wait, the home crowd and the Real Madrid players could let loose their cheers.
Antonio Rüdiger, who assisted Joselu, was not offside, and thus the score counted.
This means that Real Madrid are ready for another Champions League final. In the final they meet Borussia Dortmund, and the Spanish giants are chasing their 15th Champions League triumph.
During its long history, Real Madrid has made it a habit to decide major matches in a dramatic way, but Wednesday’s incredible turnaround still makes many people gape.
The Guardian’s Sid Lowe has followed Spanish football closely for a number of years, and he summarizes the final minutes as follows.
– It’s just ridiculous, he writes on X.
Rage over referee’s decision
However, Real Madrid’s advancement does not come entirely without controversy. For 13 minutes in overtime, a situation arose that creates debate.
Kimmich pumped up a long ball at Mazroui, who pushed forward a duel which led to the ball landing at de Ligt. He knocked the ball into the goal, but by then the referee had already blown the whistle.
On the replays, however, you can see that the offside was very marginal, so several experts believe the referee should not have been blown, and rather let the situation take its course, and possibly let VAR look into it afterwards.
TV 2’s expert Solveig Gulbrandsen is resoundingly clear that the referee should not have blown.
– The point is that there should be heavy flags. It should give the offensive team an advantage, and how many times have we seen that the forwards have to run for a long time afterwards when there are situations where you think here it is offside. This situation is almost impossible to judge live. Then the judge must not blow the whistle before the situation is over, she says.
– It is simply wrong. There should not have been waving and there should not have been blowing, says Morten Langli.
– It was incredible
It was a frantic start to the match, and in the 6th minute Jude Bellingham called for a penalty after he went to the ground inside the box. However, the referee waved the Englishman up again.
A few minutes later came the first big chance of the game, and it was the home team who got it.
Real Madrid played into the box from the right, and eventually Vinicius turned up and finished. He sent the ball inside the far post, before Rodrygo’s return was masterfully saved by Manuel Neuer.
– It was incredible. For a save by Neuer, former Real Madrid player Steve McManaman told the BBC.
Bayern Munich were not harmless either. In the 29th minute, Harry Kane hit a full volley, and he hit it well. The shot had a good direction, but Andrij Lunin managed to knock it out for a corner.
Five minutes before half-time, Neuer in the opposite goal also had to go full stretch.
Vinicius hit a dangerous cross that curled in at the back post. Neuer had to wait to see if someone was in contact with the ball, but when it didn’t happen he had to throw himself out to beat it away for a corner.
– Terrorizes him
Vinicius continued to be dangerous in the second half, which Joshua Kimmich especially felt.
Several times the Brazilian challenged Bayern’s right-back, and the next time it became dangerous.
– He is terrorizing Kimmich, said TV 2 commentator Øyvind Alsaker.
However, Vinicius was unable to find a team-mate who was able to put the ball in the goal, so in the 60th minute he tried himself after pulling in from the left wing. He shot towards the farthest cross, but Neuer was in place and masterfully knocked away.
It was therefore the home team that pressed the most, but as many times before, it was suddenly at the opposite end that the ball ended up in the goal.
Kane sent the ball in perfect space to Alphonso Davies on the left. He pulled into the pitch before thundering the ball into the cross on the left for a chanceless Lunin.
Soon after, Real Madrid also cheered for scoring, but the joy was short-lived. Davies steered the ball unluckily into his own goal, but in front pushed Nacho Kimmich with two straight arms in the neck region.
After a quick VAR check, the goal was disallowed.
However, Real Madrid did not give up.
In the 88th minute, Joselu scored the equalizer after Neuer gave an ugly return. Two minutes into extra time, he reappeared and sent Real Madrid to the Champions League final.